October Archives

Longleat Gardener William Taylor and His Thoughts on the 1875 Autumn Garden

“Gardeners generally have [less work] during August and September. They are enabled to look round themselves at home and often to make a little tour and pick up useful hints from others of the fraternity; they then begin about October with renewed vigor to work for another year.” October 25, 1875 On this day, Longleat…

A Review of Henry Austin Dobson’s Rose Poem: Beauty, Time, and the Fallacy of the Ephemeral

“For the roses, life with the gardener is a constant. They emerge in the spring, thrive in the summer, and go dormant as fall changes to winter – all under the care of Fontenelle.” October 24, 1885 On this day, a little poem about a rose by the English poet Henry Austin Dobson appeared in…

Remembering Ernest Thompson Seton: Writer, Artist, Naturalist, and Cofounder of the Boy Scouts of America

“When Ernest turned 21, his dad handed him a bill for $537.50 – the grand total for every dime he had spent raising Ernest, including the fee from the delivery doctor for his birth in 1860. Ernest paid his father and then never spoke to him again.” October 23, 1946 On this day, the English-born…

Can Words Describe the Fragrance

Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens), also commonly known as Mayflower.

by Neltje Blanchan Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring – that delicious commingling of the perfume of arbutus, the odor of pines, and the snow – soaked soil just warming into life. Note: Today is the birthday of the nature writer and poet Neltje Blanchan, who was born…

Long After Their Associates Have Gone Southward

The plant with purple flowers is most likely Agapanthus, also commonly known as African Lily or Lily of the Nile.

by Neltje Blanchan Long after their associates have gone southward, they linger like the last leaves on the tree. It is indeed “good-bye to summer” when the bluebirds withdraw their touch of brightness from the dreary November landscape at the north to whirl through the southern woods and feed on the waxy berries of the…

4th Grade Botanists: A Modern Approach to Teaching Botany

A collection of science-themed clip art featuring science symbols, lab equipment, and cartoon children dressed as scientists.

“At the end of the class, the children stood up and sang to the tune of Head Shoulders Knees and Toes: Stigma, petal, stem, and roots … stem and roots” October 22, 2003 On this day, The Courier-Journal out of Louisville, Kentucky, featured an article about a 4th-grade classroom that had turned into a laboratory of botanists.…

Remembering The Flower Girl: Jan Rose Kasmir, a Chrysanthemum, and the Vietnam War

“A 17-year-old high school girl named Jan Rose Kasmir walked up to a row of soldiers holding rifles with bayonets… She held a single chrysanthemum bloom in her hands.” October 21, 1967 On this day, 100,000 demonstrators attended the March on the Pentagon – one of the most massive demonstrations of the Vietnam War. …

Jimsonweed or Jamestown Weed: A Plant of Peril Through the Ages

“The frantic parents summoned psychiatrists, but it was a botanist, Dr. Otto Emery Jennings of the University of Pittsburgh, who finally solved the mystery.” October 9, 1947 On this day, The Times of Streator, Illinois, shared a story called Ailment of 2 Boys Solved by Botanist. Two eight-year-old boys gave their parents a bad time when…

Everyone Must Take Time

Autumn leaves showcasing a vibrant gradient of colors, from deep red to green, illustrating the phenomenon of autumn leaf color change.

by Elizabeth Lawrence Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn. Today’s Garden words were featured on the podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all.

Every Green Thing

A verdant scenic road or trail within the Allegheny National Forest in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

by Henry Ward Beecher Every green thing loves to die in bright colors. Today’s Garden words were featured on the podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all. Henry Ward Beecher

The Month of Departure

Misty autumn scene in a forest, featuring a wooden boardwalk winding through trees with fallen leaves.

by Henry Ward Beecher The month of departure is more beautiful than the month of coming – October than May. Today’s Garden words were featured on the podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all. Henry Ward Beecher

Nature Glories in Death

Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887), a prominent American preacher, social reformer, and abolitionist of the 19th century.

by Henry Ward Beecher Nature glories in death more than in life. Today’s Garden words were featured on the podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all. Henry Ward Beecher

October is Nature’s Funeral Month

A large, bare tree, likely an oak, standing prominently in a field, possibly in winter or early spring.

by Henry Ward Beecher October is nature’s funeral month. Today’s Garden words were featured on the podcast: Words inspired by the garden are the sweetest, most beautiful words of all. Henry Ward Beecher

Celebrate Colorful Fall Favorites with Garden Designer and Writer Kelly Norris

“My next find [is] a colony of dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii). These happy companions to daphnes and rhododendrons look sumptuous this time of year..” October 8, 2009 On this day, botanist Kelly Norris wrote a post about the colors of fall and his favorite plants in a post called Candy Shop. Here’s an excerpt: Today…